Russia-Ukraine peace deal ‘very close’, but Zelenskyy still wants a ‘reassurance force’

Even as US President Donald Trump has declared that a deal to end the war was “very close”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has stressed the need for a multinational ‘reassurance force’ to enforce any peace agreement.

At a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing, Zelenskyy on Tuesday said that they should sign an agreement for the deployment of the reassurance force under the ambit of the coalition.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who co-chairs the bloc with British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, backed Zelenskyy and said that “the absolute condition for a good peace is a set of very robust security guarantees, and not paper guarantees”. Both Macron and Starmer have pledged soldiers to such a force.

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The Coalition of the Willing held a meeting at a time when Ukraine and the United States have been engaged in intense negotiations to refine Trump’s ‘28-point plan’. In its original plan, the plan would have amounted to Ukraine surrendering and giving up its sovereignty. Even though Ukraine has said that they have reached an understanding on “core terms”, major sticking points remain that can make or break the deal.

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Zelenskyy calls for ‘doable’ reassurance force

In an apparent realisation that times have changed from two years back when the United States supported Ukraine fully, Zelenskyy has now called for a “doable” force to be stationed in Europe.

Zelenskyy said that Ukraine and the Coalition of the Willing must “develop a doable framework for the deployment of the Reassurance Force Ukraine of the Coalition of the Willing by signing a relevant Memorandum of Understanding”.

Notably, the meeting was also attended by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has been in US-Ukraine talks to refine the 28-point plan.

In Rubio’s presence, Zelenskyy said that it was his “firm” belief that “security decisions about Ukraine must include Ukraine”.

“That was our position in Geneva and always — security decisions about Europe must include Europe, and the same applies to Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, other countries, and every other nation. And this is simply fair — and it actually works,” said Zelenskyy.

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Macron and Starmer joined Zelenskyy to praise American efforts to end the war but noted that the conclusion of the process must produce a just and dignified result — an apparent nod to Ukraine’s red lines.

Starmer said that the multinational force for Ukraine will be a “will be a vital part” of any arrangement.

“Our military planners, who have worked really hard in recent months, will continue to work on the readiness of that force. And we will also pick up next steps with the US military on their own planning,” said Starmer.